A handwritten note dates the printing to 1877. The text is copyrighted 1864. The author is credited with a Master of Arts and an M.D., as well as being the author of two books on grammar. The preface states the work is designed to concise and comprehensive, while also stating that the study of composition should begin at a very early age. The chapters cover spelling; capitals; punctuation; words and phrases; sentences; different kinds of composition (narration, description, letter-writing, and essays); figurative language; a review of capitals, punctuation, and style; and themes. Exercises involve fill in the blanks, correcting errors, classifying, adding punctuation, and answering review questions. The Schultz Archive's copy is roughly the complete text.